Document 31: Agnes Mary Mansour, RSM, "Position Paper on Abortion and Legislation," July 1982, Mansour Case Papers, Box 1/News Statements, etc., Archives of the Sisters of Mercy Detroit Province, Detroit, Michigan, by Agnes Mary Mansour. Included in How Did Catholic Women Participate in the Rebirth of American Feminism?, by Mary Henold. (Binghamton, NY: State University of New York at Binghamton, 2005).

Introduction

Theresa Kane's welcome was not the last time a feminist Sister of Mercy would
clash with the international Catholic hierarchy. In late 1982 Agnes Mary Mansour, a
Sister of Mercy, was tapped to head Michigan's Department of Social Services. While
Mansour's community was supportive, her Archbishop was hesitant because a director of
DSS would disperse funds for abortions. Mansour developed a careful position on the
question of abortion rights, as stated in this document. While she, like Margaret Ellen
Traxler, proclaimed herself "morally opposed to abortion," she refused to make that
decision for others, particularly for women in poverty. Mansour pursued the DSS position
despite the Archbishop's opposition, and soon Mansour and the Sisters of Mercy found
themselves in a battle with the Vatican. By the summer of 1983, Mansour was called to a
meeting with a Vatican representative and told that she had a few hours to decide
between her position at DSS and her vocation as a woman religious, despite the fact that
her congregation had no desire to dismiss her. Mansour chose to stay at DSS, and she left
the Sisters of Mercy. Mansour's case demonstrates the Vatican's opposition to self-determination
for women religious.

POSITION PAPER
ON
ABORTION AND LEGISLATION

AGNES MARY MANSOUR
CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS, 17TH DISTRICT

I am morally opposed to abortion. To me, it is taking a life and leads to a loss of
respect for life.

However, I recognize that we live in a pluralistic society where my morality may
not be someone else's morality. I do not believe those selecting abortion could do so if
they felt it was taking a human life. I also feel that legislation and morality are two
different things and that it is possible at times to do more harm than good in trying to
outlaw practices not considered by some to be immoral. This is especially true when
there is no widespread agreement on the morality of a particular action.

Although I am continuing to study the legislative alternatives, my current position
on legislation in regard to abortion is:

Individual consciences must be respected and laws restricting personal
behavior must be based on a greater consensus than presently exists on
abortion. Because of this and the current status of controversy over abortion, I
do not think it wise at this point in American history to support a Human Life
Amendment. Such a law would be difficult to pass and probably
unenforceable if passed.

On the other hand, laws do have a socializing impact. They do educate by
what is allowed. The permissive atmosphere regarding abortions has no doubt
led Americans to accept abortion, some without seriously considering its
morality. Legislators and the public should continue to ask whether the
present permissive situation should continue to exist, therefore, I could
support legislation such as the Hatch amendment that moves the decision
making and guidelines regarding abortion from the courts to legislative
bodies. This at least provides a necessary platform conscientious citizens are
calling for and a broad-based opportunity to hopefully change hearts, minds
and wills to recognize that abortion is a violent solution and should be
unthinkable not simply illegal. Until abortion is unthinkable restrictive laws
will be unenforceable.

As long as abortion is legal — I do not believe it appropriate to have a double
standard allowing one economic class to more easily obtain abortions over
another. I would support the use of federal funds for abortion because I do not
feel the evil of abortion is realistically or justly attacked by this route. This for
me would be a vote for the poor rather than a vote for abortions. Having said
this, I would fight for alternatives to abortion and support systems that would
encourage and assist an individual to personally reject abortion.